Wednesday, August 26, 2009

Remembering Walter Porter.

At the time of his death he was 35 years old. He was a son of the Vincentian soil, calypsonian, musician and unfortunately the person seated in number 25C on Pan Am 103. I didn't know him personally but at some point I was aware that the bombing of the airliner had hit home to Vincentians. With the release of Al Megrahi I decided to do a little investigation into who Walter Porter was and got this information from some one who knew him well.

Walter was a quiet Guy. Our paths first crossed when I was the President of VINCI , which is the Acronym for Vincentian Independent National Charities Inc . He was the President of The Vincentian Calypsonians Guild , an organization that he founded , and allowed the Presidency to go to Scorcher , which in my opinion was a great gesture .

I remember getting a phone call from Yolande Richardson who was a member of both VINCI & GHS , and meetings of those two Organizations were kept at her house . She was the first person to tell me that Walter was on the plane. I did hear about the bombing, but never in my wildest dreams did I consider that Walter was on the plane. When I had spoken to him , he did tell me that he was going to England to perform at a Vincentian Organization's function there. I told him that I would see him when he returned , because the Guild was having a dance , around Christmas time . I was stunned since the main purpose of the Guild was to cut out the middleman , so that the Calypsonians would produce their own records & tapes. They didnt have CDS then and at a meeting , we all had decided that we would go up on the Parkway on Labour Day , with Vincentian Calypsonians , Mas Bands and Pan Sides to distribute literature from the Tourist Board . Unfortunately all those ideas died with Walter.

It was the first and only time that I went to a funeral Service , and instead of a Coffin , a picture of the person was on view . Annice Carew sang the best rendition of " HIS EYE IS ON THE SPARROW " I have ever heard , and I & others said a few words about Walter . I was devastated by it all.